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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26765263">Shake This Frost Off My Bones - 5 Times the People Who Love Peter Were There For Him + The 1 Time He Needed Them Most</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallylaterightnow/pseuds/itsreallylaterightnow'>itsreallylaterightnow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1 Things, Awesome May Parker (Spider-Man), Awesome Michelle Jones, BAMF Helen Cho, BAMF Pepper Potts, F/M, Gen, Good Friend Ned Leeds, Happy Hogan is a Good Bro, Helen Cho is literally the best, Hospitals, Hurt Peter Parker, I put him through it in this one, I think she is in every single one of my fics, I try to be somewhat accurate, May Parker (Spider-Man) Needs a Hug, Medical Inaccuracies, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Michelle Jones Needs a Hug, Ned Leeds Needs a Hug, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker has a heart disease, Peter Parker is a Mess, Precious Ned Leeds, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Happy Hogan, Protective May Parker (Spider-Man), Protective Michelle Jones, Protective Ned Leeds, Protective Pepper Potts, Protective Tony Stark, Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, Supportive May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Worried May Parker (Spider-Man), Worried Ned Leeds, but we are talking about a boy who was bitten by a radioactive spider... so, how accurate can it be?, yes its a mouthfull</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:02:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26765263</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallylaterightnow/pseuds/itsreallylaterightnow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>5 Times the People Who Love Peter Were There For Him + The 1 Time He Needed Them Most</p><p>Or</p><p>Peter is diagnosed with a heart disease, and leans on those who mean the most to him. </p><p>Shown from six different POV</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Happy Hogan/May Parker (Spider-Man), Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>95</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>256</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. May</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Is it Whumptober? yes. Am I committed to posting a new chapter every other day with whumptober? Yes. Do I have THREE other WIP and a fourth already in my head? Also yes. Do I have time to start a new WIP? NO! Did I write this entire chapter in one day, edit, and post because I have no self control or self-preservation skills? Yes... yes I did. </p><p>And I hope you enjoy! </p><p>Also, the biggest thanks to @ephemeralstark for help with all things medical!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>May Parker’s life had been filled with both joy and turmoil, a terrible blend of happiness and heartache that molded her into the person she was today. May was born and raised in New York City. The streets were the blood in her veins; the horns were the beating of her heart. She was New York City through and through. She never imagined living anywhere else. She had always wanted to raise her family the same way she had been raised. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When May married Ben Parker, she knew she would give anything to spend the rest of her life with this man. He was kindness and gentleness and encouragement all wrapped into one, tall, dark-haired package. May would always say that she never realized how much a relationship could change you for the better. She had always said she didn’t need a relationship to be whole. She was her own person, no need for the sexist crap that claimed a woman couldn’t be whole without a man in her life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when she met Ben Parker, it had all made sense. It wasn’t that she wasn’t whole before him, or that he made her any more of a person. It was that his person added onto hers, shook her to her core. It created an entirely new person inside of her. Someone who loved him deeply and wholeheartedly. She no longer felt like just a singular person, whole in herself. She was his. In the purest sense of the word. She felt like a new person, a person so wholeheartedly loved by this man, that she was certain they were immortal. That nothing could ever touch them because they were so completely perfected in their relationship. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then had come a boy who shook their immortality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter Benjamin Parker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Richard and Mary had died, it hadn’t even been a question.May and Ben just knew they would not let that child live his life alone. He would be wrapped in their love and protected from the world. May and Ben had known that they would do anything to keep this boy safe and happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter had been a blessing that May had never expected, she couldn’t have children of her own. She’d been told that from an early age. It had always been a cause of terrible heartache for May, then this boy was delivered to her doorsteps. This perfect, beautiful boy who so needed to be loved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>May found herself loving Peter as though he were her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She used to just sit and watch Ben play with their boy, she’d watch as her husband knelt down and wrestled with Peter as the boy shrieked with joy. She’d listen as his deep voice carried across their small apartment while he sang the boy to sleep. She would take Peter down to the fire station to visit Ben when he was on call, watching as the boy pulled Ben’s helmet on and ran around with the end of the firehose trying to drag the heavy equipment around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then a tidal wave of pain hit their home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would never forget the knock on the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning the handle to see an officer standing, his eyes downcast as tears streamed down his face. Officer Davis. He’d worked alongside Ben. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry,” he had muttered, his voice barely audible over the rush of water that had slammed into her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May had fallen forward, crying, collapsing. A wormhole of pain and sorrow engulfed her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben had gone out to find Peter, to talk to the young boy about everything going on with him. Peter had been different lately. Grumpy and curt. Ben and Peter had gotten into a terrible fight; Peter had raced in a whirlwind from their apartment and Ben had left to find him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh God, how was she supposed to tell Peter? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May doesn’t remember much from that night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She remembers Peterwalking in, his shirt soaked with blood, his face drenched in tears. She remembers collapsing into his arms as they cried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had slept on the couch that night, Peter curled up in May’s lap as she rocked back and forth, back and forth. She moved until the sun came up. Her body had been stuck on repeat. Like a vinyl skipping over… and over… and over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had never thought of herself as anything but a whole person - until the man who had filled her second half was gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she’d felt it. The gaping hole that he left. The shell of herself she became. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In that moment, May Parker had never been more thankful for the young boy in her home. Without Peter Parker in her life, she was certain she would have shattered to the point that no amount of glue could put her back together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she had Peter. She had her boy to look after and to care for. So she would be strong for him. She would do anything for Peter Parker. Because he may not be hers by blood, but Peter Parker was her boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And recently, she’d noticed the shifts in him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>How he’d get out of breath walking the short distance to the kitchen from the living room. The way he would pause in the middle of talking, his hand resting on his chest as he waited a few seconds before resuming conversation. At first she just thought that maybe he’d been working out in his room, getting in some extra push ups in the morning before he would come out for breakfast. Or that he had other things on his mind, things that distracted him from his thoughts, a certain young lady that he spent so much time with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As time went on, the days melting together, she noticed his breathing turned from just labored to wheezing. It reminded her of horrible days of asthma attacks and panic, days before he’d been bitten by that spider three years before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One morning, when he sounded particularly tired after tugging a ceramic bowl from its cabinet, she meant to stop him there. She was going to question him on it, to ask him if he thought his asthma may be returning, but she’d gotten an emergency call in from the hospital. She told herself she would ask him that night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter may not have realized it, but May noticed just about everything he went through. She watched as he turmoiled through nightmares and panic attacks, always a shoulder for him to lean on. She’d encouraged him to become friends with Ned Leeds, the sweet boy he was. Ned had become an brilliantly good friend to Peter, someone May loved dearly. She’d encouraged Peter to ask out MJ, helping him get ready for their first date. She had talked him through the hard times when Happy and Tony had no clue what they were doing with her fragile boy. She may have also given Happy and Tony strongly worded emails about their lack of knowledge in anything having to do with teenage boys. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, over time, Happy Hogan and Tony Stark had somehow worked their ways into her home. Slowly at first, tentatively. She’d had to make sure they wouldn’t hurt her boy. God knows he wouldn’t be able to handle any more grown men in his life leaving him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But now, this was her family. Two crazy teenage boys, a young girl who would conquer the world one day, head security and sometimes chauffeur, and a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. And her, a nurse by day (sometimes night) and Aunt all the time. She loved her family dearly, felt a warm comfort in the knowledge that they would do anything for her boy. Each one of them would lay down their life for Peter, she knew that deep in her heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May was mid shift when she got a ding on her phone. She was picking up her phone to check the message when a patient coded. She would check in with him later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would lament later about the fact that she hadn’t done it then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>May was in the middle of washing her hands at the nurse’s station when a familiar voice caught her attention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned to see no one other than Happy Hogan, face pale and lips drawn in a grim line. He jogged up to her, and she felt her heart begin to hammer with fear, her hands shaking slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy?” was all she was able to choke out. Because he looked exactly like Officer Davis had. A haunting fear, a memory, settled throughout her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter’s alive, but it doesn’t look good. Tony got him from school, he’s at the compound now. I’m here to drive you.” Happy immediately started jogging, and May followed, screw her work. She would have to explain to her boss later.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had so many questions, so many things she needed to know, but if she didn’t ask - if she didn’t know, then she could pretend that everything was going to be okay. She could pretend that Peter was fine, and Happy was taking her out on that date he had always promised her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as she sat in the front seat, shaking fingers tapping her passcode into her phone, she felt sick. Her phone had been on silent and she hadn’t even known it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Five missed texts from Peter. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>11:23 Hey Aunt May, I don’t feel too hot. Think I may have a cold or something. I keep coughing, maybe we can go see Mr. Stark when I get home from school. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>12:57 I think something is actually wrong. I kinda passed out in the bathroom. My heart is going crazy. Ned wants me to see a nurse, but #spideyprobs</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>1:12 Hey, I called Mr. Stark. I can’t really stand up without feeling like I’m about to keel over. I think it's going to be fine, of course it will be fine. Just call Mr. Stark when you can. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>1:16 May, this is Michelle. Peter passed out. Tony is almost here. Something is really wrong. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>1:20 Still Michelle… Tony is on his way to the compound with Peter. Ned and I are driving. Call us if you hear anything before we get there. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>May swallowed, clicking her phone off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She forced the words out. They hurt, it hurt her. Peter was seventeen, about to graduate high school. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. None of this was supposed to happen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FRIDAY ran diagnostics, but he’s in with Cho right now. His heart was beating irregularly and he passed out. Ned said he’d been coughing and out of breath all day. Cho is working on it all right now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it's… it's his heart?” May asked, her own plummeting. Happy just swallowed, giving a curt nod. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May leaned back in her chair, running quivering hands through her hair. She couldn’t, she couldn’t do this. She couldn’t handle this. Anything but </span>
  <em>
    <span>this. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Anyone but Peter. </span>
</p><p><span>With a sigh, she took a deep steadying breath. The tires hit the gravel pavement to the compound. She would have to do this. For</span> <span>Peter. </span></p><p>
  <span>Happy led her silently into the compound, and the two rushed to the elevator. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were no words to be spoken. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the doors opened, May was the first out. She saw Stark at the end of the hallway. His chin resting on his fingers, leaned up against the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He jerked up when he noticed May and rushed to meet her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he?” May demanded, not caring to speak to Tony until she saw her boy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s with Cho right now. We have him on oxygen. He’s been awake and alert, and Cho is doing everything she can to figure out what is going on.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May shook her leg against the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll get us as soon as she’s done?” May asked, biting her thumbnail and scratching her collarbone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As soon as she’s done.” Tony assured her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May had never hugged Tony Stark before, but now she collapsed forward, choking on a cry as she wrapped her arms around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need him to be okay,” she cried, and Tony just nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He will be. I will do everything possible to ensure that he’ll be okay.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May did her best to calm herself, knowing that if there was anyone who could single-handedly save someone, it was her and Tony Stark. They would do anything for Peter Parker.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ned</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Why is May coming here?” Ned asked frantically. “It can’t be good, if it was good news, they would have told us to come down!” Ned’s voice continued to rise as panic set in. All hecould think about was Peter, what had happened? Had he made it through the night? Was he dying?</p><p>“Ned! You have to calm down, its going to be fine. Let’s just see what May says.” Michelle rested a hand on his arm to calm him. He was about to continue freaking out when the elevator dinged and an exhausted looking May Parker stepped out. </p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have no excuses for how long this update took. Ned was hard to write, but I hope I did his wonderful character justice!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ned remembers when he first met Peter Benjamin Parker. It was right after Mary and Richard had passed away. May and Ben Parker had walked into Ned’s elementary school, holding the tiny hands of a brown-eyed little boy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned remembers the only seat open in the room being beside him. He’d never exactly been popular amongst others. He always tried so hard to make friends. Kids would give him funny looks before running off to swing around on the playset. Ned would just frown… he’d never really been able to do the monkey-bars before. Had never been strong enough to hold himself up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But then Peter Parker had sat down beside him, pushing his large, black-rimmed glasses up on his little nose, before pulling out his Star Wars water bottle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Peter.” The young boy next to him had stated, holding out his tiny hand. Ned gave a great, big smile, missing his front teeth as he gave Peter’s hand a firm shake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Ned. You like Star Wars?” Ned had asked excitedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter gave Ned a great big nod, and Ned quickly pulled his Darth Vader toy from his backpack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was history from then on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned sat in the waiting room of the Med Bay with Michelle, his mind reeling from the events from the day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the past few weeks Ned had noticed something going on with Peter. His friend was acting differently. Peter would cough or place his hand on his chest, a slight grimace on his face. Ned had known Peter long enough to know something was up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d tried asking his friend about it, but Peter had just been… well, Peter. Stubborn, insisting he was completely fine as he raced onto the next event in his day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But today had been different from the start.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter had showed up pale, a bit sweaty. During class, he’d just stuck a hand over his chest, leaning forward so that his forehead lay on the cool desk. Ned had tried to reach out to him, but their homeroom teacher had quickly ushered him back into his schoolwork. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t until Peter had left in the middle of class, white as a ghost, that Ned had felt panic welling up in his chest. He’d followed Peter, calling out to his friend, but Peter didn’t stop until he made it into the men’s bathroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned burst in just in time to see Peter slide down the cinder-block wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude! What the hell?” Ned asked, kneeling next to Peter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S-something’s wrong, Ned. I need you to call Mr. Stark.” Peter muttered, gripping at his chest. Ned heard the bathroom door open, and he turned around to tell the person to scram, but Michelle fell on her knees beside the two of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw you two walk by my math, what’s going on?” MJ asked, looking at Peter with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call - call Tony.” Peter gasped, and Ned just nodded, grabbing the phone from his friend’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter lost consciousness pretty quickly after that - only leading Ned to freak out that much more. Peter was someone Ned relied on for safety adn security, and losing him was not on Ned’s list of okay things. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ned feels like him and MJ have been sitting in the hospital chairs for hours. He feels like filing a complaint with Stark Industries - if you make so much money, can’t you afford more comfortable chairs? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His leg has been bouncing since the two of them sat down in the tower. Ned was thankful Michelle hadn’t asked him to stop, because he felt as if it were the only thing occupying him enough to keep him from exploding with impatience. He wasn’t good at sitting still, never had been, never would be. He wasn’t good at waiting for information to be given to him. Ned was a researcher, he was a problem-solver. He liked computers and lego sets because if they had a problem, he could fix it. People weren’t like that, and that scared him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep - his head laying on MJ’s shoulder - until Happy stepped into the room and Michelle gave him a soft nudge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them stood in quic succession, both staring at Happy with fear in their eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s stable right now, and awake. May and Tony are with him now. They don’t have any answers yet, alright? I’m going to take the two of you home, and I’ll call when we get an-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Michelle said, her voice firm, but not unkind. “I’m not leaving, and Ned isn’t either. We are going to wait until we can see Peter, isn’t there a room for him somewhere in this massive tower? We can wait for him there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy pondered for a moment, and Ned figured the man was just too tired to argue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Take this,” The head of security pulled a card from inside his jacket and handed it to Ned. “It will take you to the penthouse. Friday can tell you where Peter’s room is. You guys are welcome to anything in the fridge, if you have any questions ask Friday.” Happy gave Ned a pointed look. “Don’t try to hack her like you did Peter’s suit. You’ll send the whole tower into lockdown and no one wants that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned gulped and nodded. ‘Yes sir, of course.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to go check in with the boss. Have Friday call me if you need me, I’ll send a message with any news we recieve.” The man left rather quickly, obviously having a million things on his mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned and Michelle quickly moved to the elevator, finding their way to the penthouse. A small part of Ned acknowledged that under any other circumstance, this would be the coolest day of his life. He was given a card that granted him acces to Tony Stark’s penthouse? How awesome. But not today. Because today, he’d held his friend and wondered if it was the last time he’d ever see him alive. He’d held him an thought that maybe every breath he took would be his last. So nothing today would seem cool, unless Peter was magically healed and there was nothing negative to come out of this day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That didn’t seem highly probable. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ned and MJ took up residence on the couch, playing whatever movie they’d found first. Neither of them could have been paying less attention to what was on the screen. Michelle was staring at the ceiling, unmoving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned felt exhaustion playing at him. The longer he sat, the more tired he felt as his mind raced a hundred miles a minute with all of the bad things that could be happening downstairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ned?” Michelle’s voice was quiet - much quieter than it normally was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really scared.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too.” He replied, pursing his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t - I can’t lose him.” Michelle turned to look at him, pulling the blanket they were using up close to her chin. “I love him, and I was just about to tell him, and I can’t lose him before I do.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned felt a spark of happiness in his chest. He’d known the two of them were smitten with each other for a quite a while, he’d have to be an idiot not to see it. But both of them were stubborn, and working on how their emotions worked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll get to tell him, MJ. You will. We’re going to wake up in the morning and everything is going to be figured out, alright? It’s all going to be fine, you’ll see. This is Tony Stark, he’s got the best doctors probably in the galaxy, and he loves Peter.” Ned slid down on the couch, getting more comfortable as the exhaustion threatened to pull him under. “And we both know there isn’t anything Tony Stark wouldn’t do for the people he loves. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ned and Michelle woke up to Friday’s voice playing over the speakers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May Parker is currently on her way to the penthouse to speak to both of you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned whipped his head around to look at Michelle. Both of their clothes were wrinkled messes, and he had no earthly idea how they’d managed to sleep through the entire night on the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is May coming here?” Ned asked frantically. “It can’t be good, if it was good news, they would have told us to come down!” Ned’s voice continued to rise as panic set in. All hecould think about was Peter, what had happened? Had he made it through the night? Was he dying?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ned! You have to calm down, its going to be fine. Let’s just see what May says.” Michelle rested a hand on his arm to calm him. He was about to continue freaking out when the elevator dinged and an exhausted looking May Parker stepped out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s doing better.” Was her first statement, and the two teens on the couch let out a massive sigh of relief. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank God.” Michelle said under her breathe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May walked over and sat on one of the recliners, running her fingers through her thick hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The doctor’s are still working on tests, but they have come to a conclusion. We believe Peter is suffering from a heart disease. It’s not exact - nothing with Peter ever really is. But, we believe it is something like restrictive cardiomyopathy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned cut his eyes over to Michelle who had the same blank expression on her face as he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His heart is - its not working right. Dr. Cho seems to think its because of the radiation from the spider bite. But, she is looking at treatments, and she is hopeful she will find something that can help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean? Why is it affecting him now?” Michelle asked, and Ned just sat listening, trying to put together the pieces of all that he was being told. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we think that his … super-healing has been keeping it at bay. But, the more he works his heart, the worse it has gotten. Right now, we are putting Spider-Man on hold, and Peter has to take things very easily. We can’t let him get over-exerted. He’s going to have to stay here, and let Dr. Cho run some more tests.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there a cure?” Ned asked, and he hated to pressure May. She was obviously stressed and worried, but he couldn’t keep himself from feeling overwhelmed with all of the news. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most people with this disease, when it gets bad, they have a heart-transplant, but because of Peter’s mutations, we believe that a heart transplant would be fatal.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So there’s no cure.” Ned let the words slip out before he could even stop himself. May’s eyes grew heavy as she gave a slight shake of her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that we know of. Tony and Cho are… they are trying to work out how to tell Peter that he, that his time as Spider-Man is over.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned felt his stomach fall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d watched Peter over the last several years. He’d watched as his friend began to rely on his identity as Spider-Man. As he began to dislike being Peter Parker in favor of being Spider-Man. Ned had thought about talking to his friend about it, thought about telling Peter that he shouldn’t give up all of the things that made him Peter - but he never did. Because he’d never seen Peter happier than when he spent his time as Spider-Man. Never saw purpose pour through someone the way it did when Peter saved someone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned couldn’t imagine telling Peter that he could no longer be Spider-Man. Couldn’t imagine Peter having to deal with an ailment such as this. But, sitting with Michelle and May, knowing all of the people who were here for Peter, Ned knew one thing, Peter had a larger support group than most people did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had more than enough people to lift him up when he needed it. If anyone could hold Peter Parker up when he felt like falling down, it was the family they had built. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Happy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I think… I think the spider-bite took something that he had before, and it tried to make it better. But the reason Peter could live with the restrictive cardiomyopathy before is because he wasn’t an insanely active person. He was a teenager with asthma, that was healthy enough, but he didn’t do strenuous activity. Then, he became spider-man and he did so much, and his healing factor had to work overtime to keep up with his heart, but I think… I think he literally overworked himself. His healing couldn’t keep up, and it quit. In this case, I’d usually request a transplant immediately, but based on every test I have run, a transplant would be deadly. We are at a crossroads. He can’t go on.” Happy could hear the sadness in Cho’s voice. “If he continues on the path he is on, he will die.” </p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yeah... about this chapter - um - I'm sorry??</p><p> </p><p>Side note: there are %100 many medical inacurracies in this, I do my best. He's a radioactively made spider-boi?? How accurate can it be? :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Happy sat outside the kids room, holding his hands tightly together. The kid was being released today, going back home with May, on strict orders to take it easy. His doctor’s appointments hadn’t been going well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cho had run test after test, and she’d come to the same conclusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter’s life would be drastically changing. His heart couldn’t handle any kind of physical strain. It could rarely handle any sort of excitement without making him have palpitations. Cho was trying to convince Peter that using a wheelchair would be best for him, but he’d about thrown his bed out the window at that idea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t taking it well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course he wouldn’t, Happy could have told anyone that. Peter relied on his identity as Spider-Man like he relied on air to breathe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May and Peter excited the room, walking slowly. Peter had the same look plastered on his face that had been there for the past week of tests. A perpetual look of annoyance with vague undertones a fear. Like an animal caught in a trap, unsure of how to go on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, here - I’ll take that.” Happy held out his hand, not really giving Peter the opportunity to carry his own bag. The kid gave Happy a quick glare before handing him his duffle. Happy slung it over his shoulder and looked at May. She looked a bit sadder these days. Worn down, with a weight in her eyes that May should never have. Happy wanted nothing more than to fix her problems. To take them on his shoulders and carry the world so she didn’t have to. But that was unrealistic, so he carried Peter’s bag instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ride home was quiet. Peter sat, staring out the window - a boy watching a world pass by through a completely new lens. Happy kept cutting his eyes up to the rearview to see if the kid looked any more at peace, but the expression didn’t change. They made it into the apartment complex, and Peter started towards the stairs when Happy called out to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Pete - why don’t we take the elevator?” Happy hated saying it. He hated the way Peter’s face fell, he hated seeing the slight bit of relief from the mildly out-of-breath-kid. He hated that he felt his heart pang as he realized this was as good as Peter was going to be for a while. Cho was theorizing that Peter wouldn’t be getting better any time soon. She said he may plateau, but the odds were, he would get worse. Until he had to give up walking. Happy could hear her voice so clearly in his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think… I think the spider-bite took something that he had before, and it tried to make it better. But the reason Peter could live with the restrictive cardiomyopathy before is because he wasn’t an insanely active person. He was a teenager with asthma, that was healthy enough, but he didn’t do strenuous activity. Then, he became spider-man and he did so much, and his healing factor had to work overtime to keep up with his heart, but I think… I think he literally overworked himself. His healing couldn’t keep up, and it quit. In this case, I’d usually request a transplant immediately, but based on every test I have run, a transplant would be deadly. We are at a crossroads. He can’t go on.” Happy could hear the sadness in Cho’s voice. “If he continues on the path he is on, he will die.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter obliged, slidin by Happy and leaning against the wall in the tiny elevator. Happy and May gave one another sad smiles as Peter fought to catch his breath. The adults both ignored the way the kid had silent tears melting down his cheeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter immediately went to his room as Happy set the kid’s bag outside of his door. He was about to ask May what she wanted him to order for dinner when he heard her sniffles behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy turned, opening his arms. She immediately collapsed in them and began to cry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just- I just want to take it all, and take it all from him and make him okay. He doesn’t deserve this, Hap - he doesn’t-” She hiccuped on a cry, and Happy placed his hand on the back of her head, kissing her hair as he hushed her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll figure it out. Peter - Peter has a lot more going for him that Spider-Man. It will be a change, a massive one - but he’s got a lot to offer this world. And he’s got you. He’s got you, and youre not going to let anything bad happen to him.” Happy was too busy hushing May to notice </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud </span>
  </em>
  <span>rang throug the apartment that Happy and May shared a panic look. It wsa only heavy enough to be someone hitting the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy made it to the bedroom before May, throwing open the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter’s room was a disaster. His desk was overturned and papers were everywhere. Peter was leaned against the wall, a hand on his chest as he heaved - trying to catch his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dammit, Peter!” Happy cursed, leaning down in front of the kid. “May call-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine!” Peter exclaimed, brushing Happy off and forcing himself to stand. “I’m fine. Get out - just get out right now!” he hollered, and Happy felt his chest squeezing. Peter didn’t yell. He didn’t yell unless he was properly losing his shit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter -” May started, and the kid sat on his bed, turning away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry-” his voice broke as he looked out the window. “I shouldn’t have shouted. I’m okay, I just - I just need to be alone, please.” Happy looked at May and she gave him a sad nod. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to order some larb.” She gave Peter a gentle grin - one of their many secret codes. Peter let out a small sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I larb you.” He muttered quietly. May cross the room quickly, folding the kid into her arms and giving him a firm kiss on his forehead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I larb you too. We’re going ot figure this out, alright? I promise.” </span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had been a couple weeks since Peter got home. May sent out daily reports to Happy, Tony, and Cho. Peter was settling in at school, taking things as easy as he could. He still struggled with palpitations, and he got dizzy if he overworked himself, but all-in-all he was doing well physically. Mentally… mentally he was behind a brick wall. A brick wall he wasn’t letting anyone climb. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy was driving back to May’s to pick her up for dinner when his phone began to buzz. He glanced down, and picked it up. Peter’s name flashed across the screen, and he felt his heart drop. Peter didn’t call him - unless it was an emergency. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter?” Happy asked, gripping the phone like a vise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“H-Hap?” Peter sounded out of breath, and he began to cough. “I-I messed up. I n-need - I need help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you? What happened?” Happy snapped out the questions as his heart tightened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter rattled off his location. He was in an alley, by a dumpster. He was only ever in alleys by dumpsters when he did something stupid, like going out as Spider-Man when he couldn’t even walk up a flight of stairs without his heart going berzerk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy sped - thankful that he was less than two blocks away from where the kid was. “What happened?” He reiterated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She-she needed help. I had-I had to help.” Peter’s voice was strained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No - dammit! You can’t do this Peter! You know you can’t! You’re going to kill yourself!” Happy jerked the car through the turn, ignoring the horns blaring around him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So?” Peter’s voice was quiet. Happy doubted the kid even realized he said it, but that word rocked Happy’s world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he didn’t have time to address it as he threw the car into park and jumped from the vehicle. Happy raced down the alley, already pressing the call button for Cho. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw Peter, splayed across the ground, his back up against the grimy brick wall. He was pale and sweating, his entire body shaking as he took stammering breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cho! The kid did something stupid. I’m loading him up, and bringing him to you.” Happy hung up, and grabbed the kid under his arms. “Come on, buddy.” Happy half-drug, half-carried Peter over to his car. He essentially threw the kid into the passenger seat - not having time to worry about being gentle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy jumped into the front seat of his car, and drove like a mad-man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Someone was saying his name. He knew someone was saying his name, yet he couldn’t make himself move. Couldn’t begin to think. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brain had felt like mush since they’d been a block from the tower. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because a block away from the tower, Peter’s body had tensed, before going limp. A block away form the tower, Friday began blaring a siren in his car telling him that she couldn’t detect a pulse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A block from the tower Peter Parker had died in his car. Pale and limp, his skin that yellow-grey color that skin got when someone died. The yellow grey no in the movies could replicate. Happy had yelled, put a hand on the kid and shook him while flooring the car. He’d yelled and yelled until his voice was hoarse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy was 43 when he met Peter. He’d never had children - never thought it was in his life-plan to have a kid. And Peter had come along, and Happy had fallen for May and somehow along the way, he’d found himself resolved to being present for Peter. In anything he needed. He found himself valuing the time he spent with Peter. Looking forward to the three of them all going out together. Building new traditions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the kid he’d never thought he would have had died in the front seat of his car. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy didn’t know how he was ever supposed to live with himself after that. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>DON'T GIVE UP ON ME! We have three more chapters!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. MJ</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“H-hey.” Her voice was quiet, and rough. Emotion leaching through the syllables. </p><p>“Um- hey. Wh-why are you here?” </p><p>Michelle physically withdrew into herself, tucking her chin in and crossing her arms tightly in front of her body. </p><p>“What the hell, Peter?” She asked, because that was exactly what she was thinking. </p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>He's not dead!! :) Here's chapter 4! My goal is to get this fic finished up in the next few days! I don't write romance much, but here's me taking a shot at it! I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He hadn’t talked to her in weeks. Michelle had just been sitting around, going to class and doing her best to try and tell herself that it wasn’t just her. But whenever she saw Ned glancing at her before typing up a harried response, or he left class early for a phone call, she felt her chest tighten. Why would Peter do that to her? They had been best friends for as long as she could remember, and now, in one of his greatest times of need, she couldn’t even get a text back? Whenever she tried to catch him at school, he’d conveniently disappear. They weren’t even in any of the same classes, so it wasn’t like she could corner him there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle was walking home from school, particularly perturbed by the overwhelming amount of nothingness coming from Peter. She’d been so ready to confess her love for him. To tell him that she thought of him as more than just a friend, that she desperately earned for me, and now - radio silence. Not even radio silence, their communication was a one-way phone call between her and a brick wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle plugged her headphones in and walked, her feet focused on the ground. She was lost in the song playing in her ears when her phone began to ring. She clicked the answer button, waiting for the caller to speak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“MJ! Get to the tower now - it’s-it’s bad.” Ned’s voice was shaken, more shaken than she’d ever heard it before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” She exclaimed, picking up her pace. She was about four blocks from the tower. It would be quicker for her to run than to try and catch a cab. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, but he-he … Em, his heart stopped. They got it going again, but Cho - Cho says it's really bad.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh god.” Michelle’s voice broke as she began to sprint. He’d died. Peter had died. And maybe they got it started again, but he died and that meant that him dying was a possiblity. It was somthing that could actually happen. His life could be cut short by this horrible illness - it almost was. If - if the doctors hadn’t been able to fix him, Michelle would have been getting a very different phone call from Ned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ran as fast as she could, thankful for her long legs. Michelle crossed an intersection, jumpign to the side as a car slammed on its breaks to avoid colliding with her. The driver blared their horn, but she didn’t even pause as she continued her sprint. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle made it to the tower, and raced in, nodding at the front desk lady. She stood at the elevator tapping her foot rapidly against the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the elevator delivered her to the med-bay, Michelle saw May adn Tony talking to Cho. Happy was sitting in one of the chairs, leaning his head back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May?” Michelle was wildly out of breath, and May turned, looking at her with weary eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, MJ, will you go sit with him? I have to talk to the doctor right now.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Michelle could always tell when May was upset when the woman wasn’t overly-excited to see her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” Michelle turned, hating that she knew exactly where Peter’s room in the med-bay was. She stepped up to the door, stealing herself to be prepared for whatever was behind it. She didn’t let people see the pain. That was her rule. Don’t show people how much they affect you. Don’t let them know what you’re thinking. Don’t be controlled. But Peter was her weak spot. She didn’t know how to hide from him, because he saw her. He’d always seen her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle stepped inside, closing the door behind her as she lifted her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter was watching her silently. He was pale, and his head was limp against the pillows, his bed halfway sat up. He had wires connected all over his chest, and she found herself staring at his chest. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and she could see the angry incision on his chest from where Cho had performed an expliaratory surgery. There were angry red marks on his chest - defibrillator marks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter cleared his throat, and Michelle cut her eyes back up to his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“H-hey.” Her voice was quiet, and rough. Emotion leaching through the syllables. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um- hey. Wh-why are you here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle physically withdrew into herself, tucking her chin in and crossing her arms tightly in front of her body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell, Peter?” She asked, because that was exactly what she was thinking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.” He sounded so tired, so defeated. She hated the way it made him seem. Because he was Peter. Peter was bubbly and kind, and he forced her to be her greatest version of herself. He pulled her from the confines of her mind and encouraged to be exactly who she was. He was the light that kept her warm, and without him, how would she keep from freezing? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is going on with you?” She blurted out… she’d never been one to hold back the truth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um… I’m goign to be completely honest, I don’t know how to answer that question.” Peter said, his hands opening in a ‘look at the thirty wires attached to me right now and see if you can figure that one out for yourself’ way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mean physically. I mean, why the hell have you not texted me back? Why have you been avoiding me? Every time I try to talk to you, it's like I see you physically run away. You’re doing everything possible to keep from talking to me, and I don't know why! If I did something to hurt you - you have to tell me Peter.” Michelle didn’t realize that her voice was raising, she didn’t realize that she was on the verge of tears, and she hated the way Peter just stared at her. Stared at her silently as she watched him, waiting for soem kind of damn reaction. She’d been waiting for the perfect time to tell him, but she felt a physical pain from the weight in her chest. So she did the most ‘Michelle’ thing that she could. She marched up to his bed and looked at him, not breaking eye contact. “I have to tell you something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No-” He tried to interrupt, but Michelle wasn’t having it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you.” Her voice was soft but firm. “I love you, and every time you hold back from me, I feel like I’m going to fall apart. I’ve tried pushing it away - but I can’t. I can’t not tell you how I feel. I love you, and when you push me away, and you don’t talk to me - I feel like I’m dying.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t do this, please don’t do this.” Peter was crying, turning his face away from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle wiped at a tear that fell down her face. “I have to - I have to. I feel like I’m breaking. And if you don’t love me, if you want me to leave… If you can look me in the eyes and tell me those two things, then I will. I’ll leave, and you’ll never hear from me again. But if those things aren’t true,” a surge of confidence raced through her even as tears fell down her face. She grabbed Peter's hand in her own, and held it over her heart. “If those thing’s aren’t true, then I’ll never leave your side again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter began to weep, turning his face into his pillow as he did. “No - no, you can’t do this to me right now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” She countered, sitting in a chair beside him, his shaking hand clasped tightly to her chest. “Why not?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Becuase - I can’t subject you to this.” He turned to look at her. His eyes puffy and his lips swollen, and looking more attractive to her than he ever had before. “I can’t let you love me when I don’t know what my life is going to be. I just almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>died </span>
  </em>
  <span>because I ran a guy off from robbing someone. I barely did anything, and I almost died. I can’t - I can’t be what I should be for you. So I won’t, I won’t let you do this to yourself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle shook her head. “When have you ever decided something for me? I love Spider-Man. I love the good you do, and I love that you care so much about a world that does nothing but try and destroy you. But I love Peter Parker more. So much more. I love the way Peter Parker smiles. I love the way he laughs. I love how smart he is, and how much of a nerd he is. I love sitting on park benches, and playing chess at your dining room table. I love studying, and I love staring at you, and I love </span>
  <em>
    <span>you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Not Spider-Man, not what you can do for me. I love you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter looked at her, and a fierce expression crossed his face. He pulled his hand from hers and grabbed the back of her head, before pulling her forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kiss was a mixture of tears and saliva. It was sloppy and rough, and kind of gross, but it was the best kiss she could ever have asked for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you.” His voice was quiet as they broke from the kiss. His forehead rested on hers, and their eyes were closed as they breathed the same air. “I love you, and I'm so scared.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michelle opened her eyes then, looking up at Peter as he hiccuped on a sob. “I’m so scared about what this means for me, Em.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I?” Michelle looked at the bed, and he nodded, patting it where she would sit. She climbed in beside him, sliding her legs under the blankets as she tucked against his side. It felt so right, to be so close to him. “I know you’re scared.” Michelle tucked her head in between his jaw and his neck. She took in a deep breath. “I know you’re scared adn everything is changing. But you’ve got us. You’ve got May, and Ned, and Happy, and Tony, and me and so many more. You’re going to make it, slow and steady. Things will change, and it's going to feel so different, and when you can’t walk, we’ll carry you.” Michelle felt Peter relaxing beside her. She could tell he was completely exhausted. She closed her eyes, running her nails soothingly up and down his arm. “We’ll carry you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Maybe it's time to say goodbye to Spider-Man and find Peter Parker.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 5 is here!!! Only one chapter left to go! I hope to get it out soon! This pic has been so fun to write, and I have just been blown away by the positive feedback! </p><p>Warning: </p><p>Peter displays some internalized ableism in this. Please know this is not what the author believes, and is only how I am writing Peter learning his new way of life! Thank you all for reading!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony watched Peter working with Rhodey and the physical therapist. The kid was sitting in his newly designed wheelchair, looking like he’d rather be anywhere but where he was at the moment. After the scare with Peter, Tony had immediately phoned Rhodey, knowing the man would be able to help Peter better than anyone else could at this moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was sitting behind the glass, keeping a weathered eye on the kid. Peter had been struggling since Cho had told him he didn’t have a choice in whether or not he wanted to be in the wheelchair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the scare with Happy - who still wasn’t fully recovered from the fright - Cho had laid it out for Peter. That his heart couldn’t take it again, if Peter pulled a stunt like he had before, he would die and there would be nothing any of them could do about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m done.” Peter’s voice caught Tony off guard. The kid was staring at him with the same blank expression he’d had on his face since he’d first sat in the wheelchair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, well, I can take you home, or we could head down to the lab?” Tony offered, knowing his idea was a far fetch. The kid hadn’t wanted to do anything. He’d been quiet and reserved, and barely gave Tony a second glance. May had noticed too, of course. It's why she’d asked Tony to pick the kid up for his PT session. Tony had jumped to it, knowing any number of people could have brought Peter, but he’d been desperate to see the kid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I’d rather just go home.” Peter’s voice was monotone and rough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, well, I’ve got to run to the penthouse and grab my wallet, then we can be on our way.” Tony was hoping the kid might change his mind, get some kind of urge to spend time with Tony. The two made their way to elevator. The kid was silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, when was Peter ever quiet? Used to, if the kid was quiet, it just meant that he’d been stabbed and was trying his best to hide it. Now, it meant so many things. It meant things that Tony couldn’t fix, and that scared him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They made it to the penthouse floor and Tony stepped out of the elevator, the kid following behind him. Tony stepped into the kitchen, reaching to grab his wallet when he heard a crush followed by a loud curse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony jumped out of the kitchen, heart pounding as he found Peter sitting in his wheelchair, staring in anger at a vase and a crooked table that he must have bumped into. Peter’s eyes cut up to see Tony and he gulped, before pushing himself out of the chair and onto the ground, working to pick up the shards of glass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey-” Tony started, but the kid just frantically worked, not paying enough attention to the glass to keep him from cutting himself. “Peter-” The kid just kept going, ignoring Tony’s concerns. TOny got on his knees, avoiding the sharp pieces and grabbed the kid’s hands. “Stop, Peter! You’re cutting your hands all up!”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter yanked his hands away. “I don’t care!” He yelled back, and Tony just grabbed him again, holding him tight until Peter looked at him, tears running down the kid’s face as Tony just breathed deeply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter,” Tony’s voice was calm. “I can get this cleaned up, but if you spread your blood all over Pepper’s new white carpet, she’ll have both of our heads. Please, let me help you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, Tony carefully plucked the glass vase from the floor while Peter sat leaned against the wall, holding his hands palm up in his lap as blood pooled in them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, time to get you taken care of.” Tony said after finishing up with the floor. Peter just stared at his hands, unmoving. “Pete?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this?” Peter’s voice was quiet, hoarse. Like the voice of a kid who was terrified to speak in the back of his classroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doing what, Pete?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This!” Peter held his hands out in a gesture to himself. “This - taking care of me? Helping me so much? If I’m not Spider-Man, then why are you trying to help me? Why - you have other things to do, Avenger things! And that’s - I’m not - that’s not me anymore so why are you still helping?” Peter was taking ragged breaths, his eyes looking everywhere but Tony, as though he was desperate to never hear the answer to his question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to clean up your hands.” Tony said, grabbing at the rag he’d brought over with him. “And then we are going to go somewhere and I’ll tell you why.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter stood up before sitting back in his chair. Tony knelt beside him, working quickly on the cuts he’d acquired. He knew exactly where he was going to take Peter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony led the kid toward his private office. It was on the floor above the penthouse. He didn’t often take people up to that room. It was a space he went to get away, for things to be quiet so he could think. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony could feel Peter’s annoyance radiating off of him, but he didn’t much care. It was Peter’s time to see something, something so vital that Tony felt he might fall apart if the kid didn’t know how much he meant to Tony in this exact moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They made it to Tony’s office floor, the door dinging open. It was a single halfway, leading straight to an oak door with a gold handle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, bud.” Tony stepped forward, moving to the office, Friday opening the lock as she saw him enter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Stark? No offense, but this is the kind of place where I feel like you’d take someone to murder them.” Tony’s heart lightened as he heard the kid make a joke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah? Well, maybe I’m going to.” The kid just snorted as they moved into the office. Tony sat in the leather chair, taking in the smell of the cleaner as Peter siddle up right next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, why did you drag me all the way up here?” Peter asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just hush, it's the adult’s turn to talk.” Tony leaned back. He didn’t show anyone this computer, the things he kept an eye on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fri, pull up the “best of us” protocol.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, boss.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s computer screen lit up, flashing folder after folder. Tony looked at Peter. “Go ahead, click on it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter chewed at his lip. The kid leaned forward, opening the first file. He squinted his eyes a bit, before clicking to the next one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time Peter was on file six, both he and Tony were struggling to keep their composure as tears began to race down their faces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The files contained all of Peter Parker’s most heroic moments. Not Spider-Man, Peter. Every moment in his recent years that Tony deemed worthy of acknowledging. Peter finished the slide of files, and sat back. Not bothering to look over at Tony. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have that there, because I knew that maybe one day, I wouldn’t be around to see the future of the Avengers. I kept this folder, because I knew exactly who should be around. Kid, there is no one like you. Not really. I’ve never seen someone so bent on setting the world straight. I;ve never seen someone put others' lives on the line over and over again, doing whatever he could to ensure that the world would be able to move forward. Peter Parker is a hero. I love Spider-Man, so does the world. But we need Peter Parker more.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not… I can’t do anything anymore, Tony.” Peter’s voice was low and cracked, unable to put the fight back into it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can do everything, Peter. The sum of your parts do not equal Spider-Man. You are Peter Parker, and that’s enough. Maybe it’s time to become okay with that again.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Peter looked at Tony, his chin quivering as the man continued to speak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe it's time to say goodbye to Spider-Man and find Peter Parker.” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Peter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Peter set the suit and wedshooters on the ledge of the building. </p><p>But just because he was saying goodbye, didn’t mean he had to forget. </p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, here we are friends :') the final scene! Thank you to every one of you that took this journey with me! I hope that you enjoyed this series, and I am so thankful for the support! I thought of this idea a while back, and for a while, I was worried I would never find the inspiration to finish it! But it is done! And I am so happy with how it turned out! </p><p>Thanks for reading, lovelies!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a cold day. Winter in New York, meaning crime was down anyways. Not that he could do anything about it now. Peter had been in the wheelchair for a few months, and Cho said his heart was steady. Not getting better, like he’d hoped it would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter sat on top of the roof of his and May’s apartment complex, looking out over the city. The air was brisk, and he could see Christmas lights in windows as the city prepared for the upcoming celebrations. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter looked down in his hands. The white eyes of his mask stared back at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spider-Man. It seemed like such a distant idea, a memory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spider-Man was Peter waking up one morning and not needing his glasses. It was Peter ripping a door handle off because he didn’t understand how to control his super-strength. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was so scared that morning. Everything was so loud, air felt different in his lungs. He had an energy that he had never felt before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spider-Man was saving people and adrenaline rushes. It was excitement and the wind pushing around him as he fell, free of any ties before catching himself and swing through the air, yelling in excitement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spider-Man also held dark memories. Ben, his blood leaking across Peter’s fingers. His gasping breaths as Peter begged for him not to leave. It was being crushed under an abandoned building, unable to breath as the weight crushed him. It was being taken to space, unsure if he’d ever make it home to hug his aunt again. It was the nightmares and the panic and the pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But God, there was nothing he wouldn’t do to be able to go back to Spider-Man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No matter how much he desperately wanted to get back out there, looking at the object in his hands, it was beginning to feel foreign. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been easy, to take everything he hated about Peter Parker and hide it behind the mask. He could put up with whatever was going on at school, because he knew that the negative things those people said, it wouldn’t matter when he was Spider-Man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saying goodbye to the webslinger meant saying good-bye to the confidence and comfort the hero brought with him. It absolutely terrified him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, he’d found something new in the goodbye. He’d found the people he could lean on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>May. His aunt, his family. The woman who had taken him in, and cared for him as though he was blood. Someone who went out of her way every single day to make him feel loved. She was a mother, taking care of a child she never asked for, and loving him with all that she had. She’d held him when he cried, laughed with him until he snorted, and was the example for love that Peter would always be striving to match. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ned. His best friend. Someone that could make Peter laugh no matter the circumstances. Ned had once called himself Peter’s “guy in the chair” but Peter thought he was so much more. He was the source that held Peter together, kept him from feeling completely alone in the world. Ned was warm hugs and nerdy jokes and spending way too long working on lego sets and corrupting billion dollar technology so Peter could sneak out of a hotel room. Ned was the joy Peter would have, the laughter he could count on to lift his spirits. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Happy. The person Peter never would have imagined he could possibly care for that much. Happy was gruff, but unfailingly loyal. A man who would give it all to protect those around him. A man who’d fell in love with his aunt, and Peter had been excited, not reserved or nervous. Happy was the integrity Peter strived for, the silent shoulder that Peter could use when he needed. </span>
</p><p>Michelle. The girl he had fallen for. Long-time friend to … girlfriend. Peter found himself smiling as he thought it. He loved her. Her sarcasm and wit. Her care for the world and its policies. The way she never said something she didn’t mean, and she was always aware of the emotions he was feeling. She was the discernment he needed, the truth that he sought to replicate. </p><p>
  <span>Tony. The father figure. The man Peter had always looked up to. Someone who took his flaws and turned them into something beautiful. A man that people had assumed was a washed up addict who would never make something of himself. He taught Peter that what people assume of you doesn’t have to be true. Just because you think you are one thing, doesn’t mean you cannot become another. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spider-Man. He taught Peter to be brave. He taught Peter sacrifice, and discipline. He taught Peter about choice, and the consequences of disobedience. Peter ran his fingers smoothly over the red and blue fabric, his webshooters sitting in his lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He may have to say goodbye to being Spider-Man, but he would never give up the things Spider-Man taught him. He would hold tightly onto the lessons learned. Use them to make the world a better place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would always remember when he was Spider-Man. The wonderful time it was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter set the suit and wedshooters on the ledge of the building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But just because he was saying goodbye, didn’t mean he had to forget. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos make me very happy :) </p><p>Visit on Tumblr @itsreallylaterightnow</p></blockquote></div></div>
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